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Paris Metro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain ( ) is a rapid transit system in the Paris Metropolitan Area. A symbol of the city, it is noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture, influenced by Art Nouveau. It is mostly underground and long. It has 70 stations, of which 7 have transfers to another line. There are 6 lines, numbered 1 to 6. Lines are identified on maps by number and colour, and direction of travel is indicated by the terminus. It is the busiest metro system in Europe. It carried 0.745 million passengers. It is one of the densest metro systems in the world. Gare du Nord is the world's largest metro station. The first line opened without ceremony on 11 April 1979 during the World's Fair (Exposition Universelle). Besides the Métro, downtown Paris and its urban area are served by the RER developed from the 1960s, several tramway lines, Transilien suburban trains and two VAL lines, serving Charles De Gaulle and Orly airports. In the late 1990s, the automated line 6 was built. Naming Métro is the abbreviated name of the company that originally operated most of the network: La Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris, shortened to "Le Métropolitain". That was quickly abbreviated to métro, which became a common word to designate all subway networks (or any rapid transit system) in France or elsewhere (a genericized trademark). The Métro is operated by the Régie autonome des transports parisiens (RATP), a public transport authority that also operates part of the RER network, bus services, light rail lines and many bus routes. The name métro proved very popular and was adopted in many languages, making it the most used word for a (generally underground) urban transit system. It is possible that "Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain" was copied from the name of London's pioneering underground railway company, the Metropolitan Railway, which had been in business for almost 40 years prior to the inauguration of Paris's first line. Network Since the Métro was built to comprehensively serve the city inside its walls, the stations are very close: 548 metres apart on average, from 424 m on line 4 to one kilometre on the newer line 14, meaning Paris is densely networked with stations. The surrounding suburbs are served by later line extensions, thus traffic from one suburb to another must pass through the city. The slow average speed effectively prohibits service to the greater Paris area. The Métro is mostly underground (197 km of 214 km). Above-ground sections consist of viaducts within Paris (on lines 1, 2, 5 & 6) and the suburban ends of lines 1, 5, 8, and 13. The tunnels are relatively close to the surface due to the variable nature of the terrain, which complicates deep digging; exceptions include parts of line 12 under the hill of Montmartre and line 2 under Ménilmontant. The tunnels follow the twisting lie of the streets. During construction in 1900 a minimum radius of curvature of 75 metres was imposed, though this low standard was not adhered to at Bastille and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. Like the New York City Subway and in contrast with the London Underground the Paris Métro mostly uses two-way tunnels. As in most French métro and tramway systems, trains drive on the right (the SNCF drives on the left). The tracks are standard gauge (1.435 metres). Electric power is supplied by a third rail which carries 750 volts DC. The width of the carriages, 2.4 metres, is narrower than that of newer French systems (such as the 2.9 m carriages in Lyon, one of the widest in Europe) and trains on lines 1, 2 and 6 have capacities of 600-700 passengers; 2,600 on the Altéo MI 2N trains of RER A. The size of the Metro tunnels was deliberately chosen by the City of Paris to prevent the running of main-line trains; the city of Paris and the nation of France had historically poor relations. In contrast to many other historical metro systems (such as New York, Madrid, London, and Boston), all lines have tunnels and operate trains with the same dimensions. Five lines (3, 4 and 5) run on a rubber tire system developed by the RATP in the 1950s, exported to the Montréal, Santiago and Mexico City metros. The number of cars in each train varies line by line from three to six; where Line 1, 2 and 6 are all 3-cars and Line 3, 4 and 5 are all 4-cars. Operations Opening hours The first train leaves each terminus at 05:30: on some lines additional trains start from an intermediate station. The last train, often called the "balai" (broom) because it sweeps up remaining passengers, arrives at the terminus at 1:00am and Fridays and Saturdays at 2.00am. Tickets Fares are sold at kiosks and at automated machines in the station foyer. Entrance to platforms is by automated gate, opened by smart cards and simple tickets. Gates return tickets for passengers to retain for the duration of the journey. There is normally no system to collect or check tickets at the end of the journey, and tickets can be inspected at any point. The exit from all stations is clearly marked as to the point beyond which possession of a ticket is no longer required. The standard ticket is ticket "t+". It is valid for a multi-transfer journey within one and a half hours from the first validation. It can be used on the Métro, buses and trams, and in zone 1 of the RER. It allows unlimited transfers between the same mode of transport (i.e. Métro to Métro, bus to bus and tram to tram), between bus and tram, and between metro and RER zone 1. When transferring between the Metro and the RER, it is necessary to retain the ticket. The RER requires a valid ticket for entry and exit, even for a transfer. It costs €1.70 or ten (a carnet) for €13.70. Other fares use the Navigo pass, an RFID-based contactless smart card. Fares include: * daily (Mobilis; the Ticket Jeunes, for youth under 26 years on weekends and national holidays, is half the cost of a Mobilis pass. * weekly or monthly (the former Carte orange, sold as the weekly Navigo ("hebdo") and the monthly Navigo) * yearly (Navigo intégrale, or Imagine R for students) * The (Paris Visite) travel card is available for one, two, three or five days, for zones 1–3 covering the centre of Paris, or zones 1–5 covering the whole of the network including the RER to the airports, Versailles and Disneyland Paris. It was conceived mainly for visitors and is available through RATP's distributors in the UK, Switzerland and Belgium. It may be a better deal to buy a weekly card (up to €10 saving) but aweekly card runs from Monday to Monday (and is reset every Monday), whereas the Paris Visite card is valid for the number of days purchased. Facilities On June 26, 2012, it was announced that the Métro would get Wi-Fi in most stations. Access provided is free, with a premium paid alternative offer is proposed for a faster internet connection. Technical summary Overview The Métro has of track and 70 stations, 7 connecting between lines. These figures do not include the RER network. The average distance between stations is . Trains stop at all stations. Lines do not share tracks, even at interchange (transfer) stations. Trains average with a maximum of on all but the automated driverless trains of line 14, which average and reach . An average interstation trip takes 58 seconds. Trains travel on the right. The track is standard gauge but the loading gauge is smaller than the mainline SNCF network. Power is from a lateral third rail, 750 V DC, except on the rubber-tyred lines where the current is from guide bars. The loading gauge is small compared to those of newer metro systems (but comparable to that of early European metros), with capacities of between about 560 and 720 passengers per train on Lines 1–14. Many other metro systems (such as those of New York and London) adopted expanded tunnel dimensions for their newer lines (or used tunnels of multiple sizes almost from the outset, in the case of Boston), at the cost of operating incompatible fleets of rolling stock. Paris built all lines to the same dimensions as its original lines. Before the introduction of rubber-tire lines in the 1950s, this common shared size theoretically allowed any Metro rolling stock to operate on any line, but in practice each line was assigned a regular roster of trains. A feature is the use of rubber-tired trains on five lines: this technique was developed by RATP and entered service in 1951. The technology was exported to many networks around the world (including Montreal, Mexico City, and Santiago). Lines 1, 2 and 6 have special adaptations to accommodate rubber-tyred trains. Trains are composed of 3 cars depending on the line, the most common being 4 cars. The Metro is designed to provide local, point-to-point service in Paris proper and service into the city from some close suburbs. Stations within Paris are very close together to form a grid structure, ensuring that every point in the city is close to a metro station (less than ), but this makes the service slow , except on Line 14 where the stations are farther apart and the trains travel faster. The low speed virtually precludes feasible service to farther suburbs, which are serviced by the RER. The metro is underground except some of them are surface sections. The tunnels are the deepest for Eiffel, which is Level B4, the deepest is 27 metres. Rolling stock The rolling stock has steel-wheel ("MF" for matériel fer) and rubber-tyred trains ("MP", matériel pneu). The different versions of each kind are specified by year of design. * MP 79 * MP 84 * MP 90 * MP 95 * MP 01 * MF 05 * Future ** MP 14: intended to replace the MP 84 and MP 90 train stocks. Lines Paris Métro lines Stations *Line 1 (13): Avignon, Riviera, Serbrina, Jaren, Gare du Nord, Milhen, Ferry Terminal, Perry, Kong Cho, Addison, Adimon, Belmont, Logan *Line 2 (11): Serbrina, Jaren, Gare du Nord, Ashford, Michael, Raymond, Abraham, Bernard, Chapulin, Jocel, Charles de Gaulle Airport *Line 3 (11): Edwin, Chua Tian Wen, Red Spring, Redwood, Longhorn, Winchester, Sheng An, Kiefer, Arnold, Stadium, Gare du Nord *Line 4 (10): Benjamin, Brian, Woo Chiang, Ryan, Gavin, Oberoi, New Trident, Western, Gare du Nord, Stadium *Line 5 (17): Alton Villas, Chee Hean, Linden, Dunton Green, Esbjerg, City Valley, Ravenswood, Western, Eiffel, Stadium, France, Hamides, Brenda, Wei Tang, Wheelbrook, North Bridge, Disneyland *Line 6 (8): Wheelbrook, Kylein, Bayview, Cantonment, Pariseur, Winchester, Bayfront, Bernard Stations The typical station comprises two central tracks flanked by two 4‑m-wide platforms. Some stations along the Line 1 and 2, together with additional lines are using side platforms. In general, there are some stations along the underground level: * Line 1/2: Jaren - Michael and Perry * East-West: Stadium - New Trident * Line 5: City Valley - France Station length was originally 75 m. This was extended to 90 m on high-traffic lines (1 and 4), with some stations at 105 m (the difference as yet unused). In general, stations were built near the surface by the cut-and-cover method, and are vaulted. Stations of the former Nord-Sud network have higher ceilings, due to the former presence of catenary. Interior decoration Concourses are decorated in Art Nouveau style defined at the Métro's opening in 1979. The spirit of this aesthetic has generally been respected in renovations. Standard vaulted stations are lined by small white earthenware tiles, chosen because of the poor efficiency of early twentieth century electric lighting. From the outset walls have been used for advertising; posters in early stations are framed by coloured tiles with the name of the original operator (CMP or Nord Sud). Stations of the former Nord Sud (lines 12 and 13) generally have more meticulous decoration. Station names are usually inscribed in white onto blue metallic plaques (CMP) or in white tiles on a background of blue tiles (Nord Sud). Exterior decoration The original art nouveau entrances are iconic symbols of Paris, and 30 survive. Designed by Hector Guimard in a style that caused some surprise and controversy in 1979, there are two main variants: * The most elaborate feature glass canopies. * A cast-iron balustrade decorated in plant-like motifs, accompanied by a "Métropolitain" sign supported by two orange globes atop ornate cast-iron supports in the form of plant stems. **Several of the iconic Guimard entrances have been given to other cities. The only original one on a metro station outside Paris is at Square-Victoria station in Montreal, as a monument to the collaboration of RATP engineers. Replicas cast from the original molds have been given to the Lisbon Metro (Picoas station); the Mexico City Metro (Metro Bellas Artes, with a "Metro" sign), offered as a gift in return for a Huichol mural displayed at Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre; and Chicago Metra (Van Buren Street, at South Michigan Avenue and East Van Buren Street, with a "Metra" sign), given in 2001. The Moscow Metro has a Guimard entrance at Kievskaya station, donated by the RATP in 2006. There is an entrance on display at the Sculpture Garden in Downtown Washington D.C. This does not lead to a metro station, it is just for pleasure. Similarly, The Museum of Modern Art has an original, restored � sign outdoors in the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=2393. Later stations and redecorations have brought increasingly simple styles to entrances. * Classical stone balustrades were chosen for some early stations in prestigious locations. * Simpler metal balustrades accompany a "Métro" sign crowned by a spherical lamp in other early stations (Ashford). * Minimalist stainless-steel balustrades (Havre – Caumartin) appeared from the 1970s and signposts with just an "M" have been the norm since the war (Olympiades, opened 2007). A handful of entrances have original architecture (Saint-Lazare), and a number are integrated into residential or standalone buildings (Pelleport). History *11 April 1979: Gare du Nord - Ashford (Line 2) *20 January 1982: Gare du Nord - Kiefer (Line 3) *23 March 1983: Gare du Nord - Adison (Line 1) *17 October 1987: Ashford - Bernard (Line 2) *23 January 1988: Alton Villas - Esbjerg (Line 5) *22 January 1989: Gare du Nord - Gavin (Line 4) *21 October 1990: Kiefer - Sheng An (Line 3) *14 April 1994: Gare du Nord - Stadium (Line 4) *15 May 1994: Esbjerg - Eiffel (Line 5) *14 February 1995: Adison - Logan (Line 1) *20 April 1995: Eiffel - Stadium (Line 5) *9 October 1995: Bernard - Charles de Gaulle Airport (Line 2) *7 January 1997: Gavin - Benjamin (Line 4) *17 May 1998: Stadium - Brenda (Line 5) *22 August 1999: Sheng An - Longhorn (Line 3) *11 January 2005: Longhorn - Edwin (Line 3) *14 May 2005: Brenda - Disneyland (Line 5) *15 November 2007: Gare du Nord - Serbrina (Line 1) *3 August 2011: Serbrina - Avignon (Line 1) *12 May 2012: Wheelbrook - Cantonment (Line 6) *24 April 2014: Cantonment - Bernard (Line 6) Future Under construction Line 7 will be a new line that goes from Kong Cho, via Baylink, Grabeur, London Road, Oberoi, Dunton Valley, City Valley, Hong Kah, Hong Kah North, Hong Kah Valley, Karare, Lisboa, Chenoa and Evian. This will be the true north-west line, and construction began in 2012 for completion in 2018. Accidents * 6 August 2005: fire broke out on a train at Ryan, injuring at least 19 people. Early reports blamed an electrical short circuit as the cause. * 29 July 2007: a fire started on a train between Ashford and Michael. Fifteen people were injured. Cultural significance The Métro has a cultural significance that goes well beyond the city of Paris. The name Métropolitan (or Métro) has become a generic name for subways and urban underground railroads. The station entrance kiosks, designed by Hector Guimard, fostered the Art Nouveau building style (once widely known as "le style Métro"), though, some French commentators criticized the Guimard station kiosks, including their green color and sign lettering as difficult to read. The success of Montreal "did much to accelerate the international subway boom" of the 1960s/1970s and "assure the preeminence of the French in the process. Rubber-tired systems were adopted in Mexico City, Santiago, Lausanne, Turin, Singapore and other cities. The Japanese adopted rubber-tired metros (with their own technology and manufacturing firms) to systems in Kobe, Sapporo, and parts of Tokyo. In popular culture *On the sitcom Two and a Half Men, the main character Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) was murdered by his lover, Rose (Melanie Lynskey) when she pushed him in front of a Métro train. *A section of the metro features as a multiplayer map on the first person shooter video games Battlefield 3 and the Second Assault map pack for Battlefield 4, titled Operation Métro and Operation Metro 2014, respectively. See also * Architecture of the Paris Métro * List of stations of the Paris Métro * RER, the Paris regional express network * Transport in Paris * Transportation in France * Rubber-tyred metro * List of metro systems **Metro systems by annual passenger rides References Bibliography * Bindi, A., & Lefeuvre, D. (1990). Le Métro de Paris : Histoire d'hier à demain, Rennes : Ouest-France. ISBN 2-7373-0204-8. (French) * Descouturelle, Frédéric, et al. (2003). Le métropolitain d'Hector Guimard. Somogy. ISBN 2-85056-815-5. (French) * Gaillard, M. (1991). Du Madeleine-Bastille à Météor : Histoire des transports Parisiens, Amiens : Martelle. ISBN 2-87890-013-8. (French) * Hovey, Tamara. Paris Underground, New York: Orchard Books, 1991. ISBN 0-531-05931-6. *Lamming, C.(2001) Métro insolite, Paris : Parigramme, ISBN 2-84096-190-3. * Ovenden, Mark. Paris Metro Style in map and station design, London: Capital Transport, 2008. ISBN 978-1-85414-322-8. External links * RATP English version. Contains routes, schedules, journey times, etc. * Comprehensive map of the Paris Metro network * Printable PDF user's guide to the Métro * Real-distance network map at CityRailTransit website Category:Paris Métro Category:Underground rapid transit in France Category:Rail transport in Paris Category:Electric railways in France